Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area

The heritage area includes the San Luis Valley and portions of the Sangre de Cristo Range.

[4] The area overlaps with the "Hispano Homeland", the ethnically distinct Hispanic population in the upper Rio Grande Valley and adjoining uplands, as described by academic, Richard Nostrand.

[5] The national heritage area was established to preserve and promote the region's distinctive cultural and natural features.

The San Luis Valley was culturally isolated for much of its history, preserving a distinctive local Spanish dialect and vocabulary.

[4] Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area was established by the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.